Is there anyone out there who was on this cruise that missed the stop in Caracas due to some problem/argument between the port authority and the cruise line - i.e. they would not allow the ship to dock in a "safe harbour". I am wondering if anyone got any compensation. We asked about compensation but were told there was none. I'm now wondering if we should be asking the company directly. Thanks.

Cruise companies do not have to give any compensation for a missed port. Years ago, we were given a shipboard account credit, because we had to skip a port due to one of the engines being down. If you didn't get that, you wil not get anything!!

We have cruised 17 times and have traveled the world. Caracas had to be one of the worst places we have ever been to. You didn't miss anything!! We almost missed the ship coming back from a tour due a mudslide. People live on hills and throw their trash down the hill. I don't know why cruiselines still go there.

The PC dining worked very well for us. We've been on a number of cruises, and met some great people - but for the PC dining, we like to request a table for 2. As well, we find the early seating time too early, and the late seating a bit too late - this allows us to pick the time we like (around 7:30) with a table for 2. We made a reservation each night (the first night was a mad-house and mass confusion but it got better as the week went along) and we also requested the same table every night. They always said there was no guarantee - but we got the same table every night, the same waiter/asst waiter, who got to know our likes and ways. So, it was great. The real benefit is giving you the choice of time you wish to eat and who you would like to sit with. I also noticed in the dining room there were many tables set only for 2 - I think this is becoming much more popular for the PC dining. For the larger tables, we also noticed that they were the same people very night - so these folks were probably using PC dining just to give them flexibility on timing. The one drawback I have found with PC dining is that if you doni't get the same waiter/asst waiter, they don't really get to know what you like, and I always enjoyed that about the cruise - knowing that we would order a bottle of wine each evening, they had the wine list ready when we sat down; knowing that I drink ALOT of water, he was constantly filling it; knowing you like decaf or tea instead of reg. coffee, etc.

Hope this helps. I strongly suggest reservations and request same table.

Believe me - I've been to Caracas before and we weren't even planning to get off the ship - it was just disappointing because I love sea days but ...... a day travelling at a snail's pace in circles isn't really a sea day - no breezes off the water, etc. just a slow boat to no-where!. I would have thought even a gesture of a small shipboard credit would have enticed people into the spa, or the casino, or whatever. They also mixed up the formal nights and party night meaning we had 2 formal nights in a row which wasn't so great, imho.

no news, Golden missed her caracas port on the May 23rd sailing, but that was due to political unrest, not many Americans are very familar with South American politics but there is a slightly volitale situation in Venezuela so not the best situation to a couple thousand american tourist a $200 million ship. On that cruise we spent a few hours in Isla Margarita, there was nice beach that was about it.

Was on the Golden Princess 1/2 - 1/9 and we also missed, but stopped at Isle Margarita. One of the security personnel told me that they had stopped there several weeks before. The reason given was about the berth they were being given not being deep enough.

Well, sounds like this is happening a lot - why don't they just give up on Caracas totally? I would have liked a day at the beach at Isla Margarita, which was our originally scheduled stop, switched to Caracas a month before we sailed, and then we couldn't stop at Caracas but it was "too late" to make plans for Isla Margarita, according to the ship staff/captain.

Like cruiseaholic, I was also on the Jan 2-9 sailing and we went to Margarita instead. If the ship had been there the whole day I wolundt have minded much. But we were in Margarita about 4 hour, which left no time to go to the town, which was about half an hour away. Seems they been having this for awhile and know this a a recurring situation. i agree with josie and maybe they should just give up on Caracas once and for all